Hydrostatically operated setting tool



Patented Apr. 14, 1942 merida L. nm, chiexsha, ons., assigner to Lane-Wells Company, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of Delaware Application January 10, 1941, Serial No. 373,902

' "z claims. (ci. 16s-1o) My invention relates to hydrostatically operatedsettingtoolsandamongtheobjectsof my invention aref i First, to provide a setting tool which utilizes the hydrostatic pressure of the iiuid in which it is immersed to providethe motive power;

Second. to provide a setting tool which is particularly digned to secure bridging plugs in a well casing, but which may be employed to actuate any well tool responsive to longitudinal l'compreion; o

Third, to provide a setting tool of this character whichis adapted to be suspended from a Y wire line and set into operation-by dropping a tubulargo-devilormaybesuspended froma conductor core wire rope and caused to operate electrically; and

Fburth, to provide a hydrostatically operated serene m01 which is particion-1y simple amv economical of manufacture, easily serviced, and which is particularly easy to operate.

. With the above and other objects in view, as

may appear hereinafter, reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Hgure1isapartialelevatlonaLpartialsec-- tinnalviewofmysetting'toolwiththeparts shownintheirinialpositionandwiihthew devil,shownfragmentarily,abmttoen888the setiingtoolanduseitsopu'ation;

Figure2isanenlargedtopplanviewofmv setngtoolwiththecablefromwhichitissuspmded shown in seciaon;

scoping of the two end members of the bridging Plug.

My setting m01 includes a tubular adapter,

shell I, which is adapted to engage the upper end of a bridging plug, and a setting rod 2 which is attached to the lower end of the bridging plug, preferably by a shear pin not shown.v Within the adapter shell I the setting rod 2 is connected to a piston rod 3 through a suitable separable coupling 4. The piston rod 3 extends through a partition block 5 in which is provided a packing glandi. The outer end of they pistonv rod is covered by a sleeve 1 which is connected at its lower extremity' to the piston rod by a shear pin I, which initially holds the pistou rod in its lower orextended position.

An outer shell 9 is screw-threaded to the upper end of the partition block and is in turn, joined at its upper end to a cylinder head lll. The cylinder head I8 is provided with a hollow extension Il -which projects downwardly inside the outer shelll and is of slightly smaller diameter. Secured tothe hollow extension Il is a cylinder l2 which lines the inner wall of the outer shell 9 and terminates just short of the partition block 5. The hollow extensionrand cylinder head form with the inner wall of the outer shell 9 an annular passage il communicating with the cylinder!! at its lower end. A piston Il is mounted within the cylinder l2 and is connected to the piston vrodi.

ligureilisanenlargedfragmentarylongitudinalsectionalviewthereofinthesameplaneas Figure tand taken substantially through 3-3 oFigureZ;

ligure4isatransversesectionalviewthroughl-I Auit Figure 3; and y Figure. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view similar to Figure 3, out illustrating a modified form of my setting tool.

The bridging P1118 with which my setting tool is used is for the purpos of this application assumed to be conventional and therefore is not shown. A conventional bridging plug consists essentially of two relatively axial movable members between which are positioned a slip and cone means and a packing element. The slip and cone means is adapted to engage a surroimding casing to lock the bridging plug against movement therein and the packing element is adapted to form a huid-tight seal. Engagement of the slips and packing element with the casing is accomplished by the axial compression of tele- The upper end of the cylinder head I is provided with a cable anchor socket 4Li which receives a cable I6, at the lower end of which is provided an enlargement l1 whichv may be molded or cast about the end of the cable. The

cable is provided with an anchor plug Il which screws into the outer end of the anchor socket to secure the cable to the cylinder head.

At one side of the cable anchor plug I8' there is secured a fulcrum post l! which extends axially upward and journals one end of a lever 20. The

i lever 2l extends diametrlcally across the end of the cylinder headl I0 and is provided with lan opening 2| therein to accommodate the cable I6.

Dlametrically opposite the post I9 the cylinder head lll is provided with a passage 22 which extends downwardly and intersects an annular channel 23 provided around the hollow extension I l, so that the passage 22 communicates with the annular passage I3. The passage 22 is enlarged at its upper portionto form a shoulder upon which rests a shear disc 24. The shear disc is held in place by a tubular retainer plug 25. A tubular punch 26 Ahaving a. beveled lower end 2l desired depth the 'l which are filled with water cylinder head 4I is is slidable Within the retainer plug 25. A pas, sage 28 is formed through the punch and communicates with the exterior of the settingn tool. 'I'he upper end of the punch is provided with a head 29 which is connected by a pin 30 to the lever 20. A spring 3| tends to hold the lever in an upper position.

AA tubular go-devil 32 is adapted to slide down the cable I8 to engage the lever 20 and thereby cause the punch 28 to perforate the shear disc 24.

Operation of my setting tool is as follows: The setting tool is lowered into the well on the cable with the parts in the positions shown in the drawing; that is, with the piston in its lower position and its piston rod extended. When the setting .tool and bridging plug have been lowered to the go-devil 32 is dropped. The go-devil engages the lever 20 so that the punch 28 perforates the shear disc 24 and the well iluids may iiow through passages 28 and 22, annular passage 23 and passage I3 to the underside oi' the piston.

It is customary to set bridging plugs in wells or other liquid, usually a depth of several thousand feet. Consequently, the hydrostatic head of liquid in which the setting tool is immersed may exceed 1,000 pounds per square inch. The interior of the cylinder,

however, is at atmospheric pressure so that when the passage is opened ample force is thereby exerted against the piston to move it upward and thereby draw upward on the setting rod 2.

'I'he `force required to set the bridging plug is, of course, known and the shear pin (not shown) which connects the setting rod 2 with the bridging plug is adapted to shear when the required setting force is exceeded. Under the normal conditionsof operation in which the liquid level is several hundred feet above the tool, the available force against the piston is materially in excess of the force required to set the bridging plug, so that there is ample excess force to shear the pin which attaches the 'setting tool to the plug. This pin should not be confused with the shear pin 8 shown in the drawing. 'I'he shear pin 8'is intended merely to prevent the'hydrostatic pressure against the piston rod 3 from forct ing the piston upward before the shear disc 24 is broken. The rod 3 may be relatively small in diameter so that only a nominal amount oiupward force is exerted and, consequently, a comparatively small shear pin 8 sumces.'

Reference is now directed to .Figure 5: The structure here shown diners vprincipally .in the arrangement of the cylinder head so that an explosive charge may be utilized to open the cylinder to the hydrostatic head of iluid. A illustrated, the lower lend of which is similar to the cylinder head I0.- It is provided'with a hollow extension 42 to which the cylinder I2 is attached. An annular channel 43 is provided around the hollow extension above the cylinder I2 and communicates by passages 44 with a socket 45 centered in the cylinder head. The outer end of the socket is enlarged or counterbored and internally threaded to receive a gun block 48. Between the gun block 4 8 and the shoulder formed by the the socket is clamped a shear disc 41.

The gun block 46 is provided with a bore 48 therethrough which receivesa punch member 49.

The punch member 43 comprises a stem 50 which extends into the lower portion of the bore 48 anda head 5I fitting the upper portion of the bore,

said upper portion being slightly enlarged. A 75 piston through enlarged portion of longitudinal passage 52 is provided in the stem which is connected to a cross passage in the head 5I. The enlarged or counterbored portion o! the bore 48 which accommodates the head 5I forms. with the normal portion of the bore 48, a shoulder 53 for limiting downward movement oi' the punch. Immediately above the shoulder 53 the bore is further enlarged and provided with laterally directed ports 54 communicating with the exterior of the gun block.

The gun block 48 is adapted to be secured to a Operation of the modified form of setting tool shown in Figure 5 is as follows: When the cartridge 51 is fired the .punch 49 moves downwardly, shearing the disc Y4`| and thereby providing an avenue of communication through ports 54. passages l2 and passage I3 to the underside .of the piston I4.

Various changes and alternate arrangements may be made within the scope oi' the appended claims, in which itis my intention to claim all novelty inherent in the linvention as broadly as the prior art permits.

I claim:

l. A setting tool ior al cylinder: atmospheric pressure chamber and a well fluid chamber, tively connected with a well device; means dening a passage f rom said well iuid chamber to the exterior oi.' said setting tool; means initially closing said passage; and means for opening said closing means whereby the` hydrostatic head-of iluid may be exerted against said piston.

2. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: a cylinder; a piston dividing the cylinder-into an atmospheric pressure chamber and a' well iluid chamber, said piston and cylinder being opera-- tively connected with a well device; a shear disc initially closing said passage: a punch i'or pei-fof rating said disc; a cable supporting said cylinder; a lever engageable with said punch and positioned contiguously to said cable; and a go'- devil adapted to ride said cable and engage said lever to actuate said punch.

3. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: a cylinder; a piston dividing the cylinder into an atmospheric pressure chamber and a well fluid chamber,

initially closing saidpassage; a punch tor perforating said disc; a cable supporting said cylincable and actuate said punch.

4. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: a cylinder; a piston dividing the cylinder into an atmospheric pressure chamber and chamber, said piston and cylinder being operatively connected with a well device; a shear disc initially closing said passage; a punch for pertorating said disc; and an explosive cartridse adapted to actuate said punch.

5. A setting tool for well devices, comprising: a piston and cylinder means deningv an atmospheric pressure chamber and a well liquid pressure chamber; a piston rod extending from said 44, channel 43, and annularV well devices, comprising: a piston dividing the cylinder into an said piston and cylinder. being operasaid piston andcylinder being operar tively connected with a well device: a shear disc to travel down said a well duid said well liquid pressure chamber to the exterior of said piston and cylinder, whereby hydrostatic pressure on the exposed end of said piston rod tends to expand said well liquid pressure chamber; means defining a passage fIom said well liquid pressure. chamber to the exterior of, said piston and cylinder means: means initially closing said passage; and means for opening said closing means, whereby the hydrostatic pressure of the Well liquid in which said setting tool is immersed is directed against said piston.

6. A setting tool for well devices, comprising:

sage from said well liquid pressure chamber to the exterior of said piston and cylinder means;

' a shear disc initially closing said passage;` a

a piston and cylinder means deiining an atmospheric pressure chamber and a well liquid pressure chamber; a piston rod extending from said piston through said well liquid pressure chamber to the exterior of said piston and cylinder, whereby hydrostatic pressure on the exposed end of said piston rod tends to expand said well liquid pressure chamber; means defining a paspunch for perforating said disc;and means for V punch for perforatingsaid disc; and an explosive cartridge adapted to actuate said punch.

` MERIDA L. HART. 

